Improvement in clay-pulverizing machines



W 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. .7. N. KEEPER.

CLAY-PULVERIZING MACHINE. N ,17O,74Z, Patented Dec. 7,1875."

TN 5 J vy aw flLonw m PETERS, PHOTWUTHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D c- 3Sheets-Sheet2.

J. N. KEEPER. CLAY-PULVERIZING MACHINE.

E Patented. Dec.7,1875.

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II. PETQS, PNOTO-LITHOG 3 Shets-Sheet 3.

No.170,74=Z.

"PETERS. PNOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, 0. C4

()FFICE JACOB N. KEEPER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOROF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO ISAAC P. CHILDS, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLAV-PULVERIZING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [70,742, dated December7, 1875; application filed November J2, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB N. KEEPER, of WVashingtou, District ofColumbia, have invented an Improved Machine for Pulverizing Clay forBrick-Making, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a machine for pulverizing clay for making brickof the kind known as dry-pressed; but byaslight modification, whichwill'be described, it may be made to temper the clay after it has beenpulverized.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a plan or top view ofmy machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation Fig. 3, an end elevation; Fig. 4,a sectional view of the crushing-rollers and device for removinggravelstones from the same.

A is a box or frame upon which the main portion of the machinery ismounted. B and B are two cast-iron crushing-rollers, made to rotatetoward each other by gear-wheels b b. The machine may be driven by anysuitable power applied to the crank-wheel C on the shaft of roller B. Dis a pointed scraper for removing gravel-stones which are too large topass through the crushing-rollers. [t is suspended from frictiouwheels dd, which ride upon a horizontal rod or bar, 61, above thecrushing-rollers; its shank 0 passes between two guiding and steadyingrods, e e, and it is moved back and forth by the handle f to remove thegravel-stones and deposit them in a spout, g. E is a horizontal] y-revolvin g grate, consisting of a very strong wheel, with radial armssupporting the circular cog-gear E and the grate, made in sections, onesection of which, 6 is shown in the drawing. The interstices between thegrate-bars I prefer to have about one-fourth of an inch wide. F and Fare two cast-iron rollers loosely mounted on a shaft, F and lying uponthe revolving grate. These rollers have a play of about one inch ontheir shaft, which allows them to rise and fall accordingly as thequantity of clay under them may vary. 0n the end opposite to thepower-Wheel C of the shaft of roller B, is mounted a band-wheel, C, anda band, a, passing around this wheel, and also around a band-wheel, f,on the shaft F rotates said shaft, and the pinion-wheel i mountedthereon, and engaging with the circular cog-gear E of the revolvinggrate, rotates said grate. On the opposite end ofsaid shaft F is mountedanother band-wheel,j, and a band,j, passing around said wheel, and alsoaround a small pulley-wheel, h, on shaft it, rotates said shaft and thebevel-wheel a mounted on its inner end. This bevelwheel 12, engagingwith a similar bevel-wheel, a, on a vertical shaft, m, rotates thelatter rapidly. This shaft m is provided with a number of projectingarms, on, which are inclosed in a cylinder, M,( shown in verticalsection, Fig. 2,) which I call the temper-cylinder. H is a hopper forconducting the clay, as it falls through revolving grate, down into saidtemper-cylinder. S is a pipe for conducting steam into the lower part ofthe temper-cylinder, and w is a pipe for conveying water into the upperpart of the same, when desired. The rollers B and B,

and F and F are each provided with stationary knife-scrapers, (not shownin the drawings,) to clear them of adhering clay. The rollers B and Bwill ordinarily be adjusted so as to leave about one-fourth of an inchspace between them, but by means of adjustingscrews t if said roller Bmay be slightly moved to and from its fellow B.

I do not desire to limit myself to the exact proportions shown in thedrawings, nor to any specified dimensions or weight of any of the partsbut I will here state what I regard as about the proper dimensions andweight for the principal parts, viz: Crushing-rollers from one and ahalf to two feet in diameter; and they may be both of a size, or one maybe somewhat larger than the other, as shown in the drawings. They may begeared to revolve at the same velocity, or at diflerent velocities.These rollers should be of the hardest chilled castiron. The rollers F Fmay be from one and a half to two feet in diameter, and should weighfrom four hundred to five hundred pounds each. They should also be madeof chilled cast-iron. The annular grate should be about three feet inwidth from the center pedestal to the circular gear, and the rollers F Fof corresponding length. The tempercylinder M may be about three feet indiameter, and from three and ahalf to four feet in depth.

R is a serrated. scraper or agitator to loosen up the clay upon thegrate. It is suspended from the shaft R, which turns upon journals, thusoperating as a hinge. The points of the teeth 1" must be bent upward, sothat they will not catch upon the grate-bars. One or more such rakes maybe employed. 1? is a hopper, into which the clay is placed, to be fed tothe crushing-rollers B B.

The operation is as follows: The clay, as it is dug from the bank, isdeposited in the hopper P, whence it passes through the rollers B B,becoming partially pulverized, and falls upon the revolving grate, Whereit is further crushed and pulverized by the rollers F E and is forcedthrough the grate into the hopper H, and conducted thence to thetempercylinder M, where it is further operated upon by the revolvingarms of the shaft m, and finally 'drops out of the open bottom of saidcylinder in proper condition for the brick-machine for makingdry-pressed brick. A jet of Steam introducedthrough the pipe 8 moistensthe clay slightly, so that it will the better adhere when subjected topressure in the molds.

If it is desired to temper the clay, as well as to pulverize it, abottom must be applied to the temper-cylinder M, having an opening atone-side for the tempered clay to escape,

and instead of introducing steam through the pipe 8 water must beintroduced through the pipe w. A movable bottom may be provided, whichcan be applied to the cylinder M when it is desired to temper the clay,and fastened thereto by screws or clamps.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to-securc by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the crushing-rollers B B, and the suspendedscraper D, constructed and arranged to operate substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the crushing-rollers BB and the revolving grate,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the revolving grate and the rollers F and Farranged to operate substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the revolving grate, the rollers F and F, and therake or agitator R, substantially as des'ribed.

5. The combination of the revolving grate, the hopper H, thetemper-cylinder M, and revolving shaft m, withits arms m, all com binedand arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

JACOB N. KEEPER.

Witnesses:

A. H. NoRRIs, J os. L. OooMBs.

